Carton closing machine



6 Sheets-Sheet 1 JHW J L. BENOIT Filed May 22, 1956 CARTON CLOSINGMACHINE Aug. 31, 1937.

L. BENOIT CARTON CLOSING MACHINE I Aug. 31, 1937.

Filed .May 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 31, 1937. 1.. BENOIT CARTONCLOSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 31, 1937. 1..BENOIT CARTON CLOSING MACHINE 7 Filed May 22, 1936 G She tS-Sheet 4 Aug.31, 1937.

L. BENOIT CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Filed May .22, 1936 Sheets-Sheet 5OOOOQOOOOOOO mlh Aug. 31, 1937. BE NOIT CARTON CLOSING MACHINE eSheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 22, 1936 Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE,

CARTON CLOSING MACHINE Leon Benoit, New York, N. Y. Application May 22,1936, Serial No. 81,208

Claims.

The closing machine of the present invention is designed to operate uponan egg carton of the type which embodies two closing flaps which afterthe carton has been filled with eggs are adapted 5 to be folded inwardlyand tucked downwardly along the center of the carton and in closelyadjacent relation to the longitudinal division wall of the carton andwith their tucking flaps in contact with one another, so that after theclosing is complete the top of the carton will present a smooth andplain appearance.

In the closing of a carton of this character, which employs companioncover flaps, it is desirable to fold the cover flaps inwardly toward oneanother in such a manner that one of the flaps will slightly'precede theother in the folding down and tucking in operation, so that the tuckingedge of the second or following flap will be guided into its intendedposition in the longitudinal center of the carton without impedance r orinterference: and the present invention is designed to accomplish theseresults by the provision of a properly configured tunnel through whichthe cartons are progressively advanced and which acts upon the initiallyupstanding cover flaps in such 'a way as to turn them inwardly towardone another and cause them to break along the intended folding lines andultimately press downward into flatwise relation without the in- 0tervention of moving parts and merely under the guidance afforded by thewalls and roof of the tunnel itself. The only moving parts involved inthese operations are those associated with the endless conveyor whichadvances the cartons into and through the tunnel. and since the speed ofadvancement is practically unlimited, the carton covers can be foldeddown and closed with great rapidity and in a certain and accuratemanner. In the present embodiment of the invention I 40 have provideddating rolls at the entering end of the tunnel and a sealing device atthe terminus of the tunnel, but these appliances are optional and theymay be employed or omitted as desired. Further objects and details willappear from 45 the description of the invention in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying the optionaldating and sealing appliances; i

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 in conjunction show a plan view of the entire machine;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the tunnel; Fig. 5 is an inner or underface view oi the tun- 55 I181;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the throated entering end taken on line 6 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view showing the terminus of the tunnel taken on line I ofFig. 4; I

Figs. 8 to 25 inclusive are cross sections showing the configuration ofthe tunnel on the various section lines indicated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 26 is a, sectional elevation of the dating rolls;

Fig. 2'1 is a sectional detail taken on line 21 of Fig. 26; and

Fig. 28 is a cross sectional view showing the dating rolls in elevation.

The machine as a whole embodies a frame comprising elevated side rails30 supported upon legs or standards 3! and serving to support a suitablebed plate 32 which projects at each end beyond the standards or legs 3!and is additionally supported above longitudinal extension bars 33 and34 which are braced and supported by brace bars 35 and 36 connected withthe legs or standards 3i, giving to theirame structure as a whole theappearance of a table with extensions at each end.

The bed plate is provided within its center portion with alongitudinally extending slot or opening 31 which aifords a clearancefor the upper turn of an endless conveyor chain 38 at recurrentintervals with lugs or projections 39 which on the upper turn projectabove the level of the bed plate and are adapted to engage the crosspartition walls of the carton, as well indicated in Fig. 26, the lugsbeing spaced to engage the alternate cross partitions, and the conveyorchain is supplemented by two endless feeding strips 38, one on eitherside of the chain, which move in unison therewith and serve to supportthe cartons during their period of advance, the endless feeding stripsbeing carried by end rollers, one of which is mounted upon the shaft 88.

The cartons are of the form above shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and comprise abody portion which is centrally folded to afford a two-ply longitudinalpartition 40 from which the body walls diverge to afford inner basemembers 4| which are upturned to aflord side walls 42 and upstandingcover flaps 43 terminating in tucking flaps 44 separated from the coveralong a scored line 45. The body of the carton is divided into cells bythe provision of cross partitions 46, which extend through suitableslots in the body walls so that the cross partitions are exposed at thebase and along the lower sides of the carton.

The carton advances to the machine with the cover flaps upstanding as inFig. 6, and emerges The cartons with their cover flaps upstandingadvance between spaced throated guide bars 50,

which are supplemented at their inner ends by upwardly sloping outerguide bars of arcuate formation from end to end, which have the efiectof throwing the cover fiaps inwardly to upstanding relation in the eventthat they have been turned down outwardly beyond the sides of thecarton. The guide bars 50 are also supplemented by an inner guide 52having the form of an open wedge with its apex presented-toward -theadvancing cartons, so that in the event the cover flaps have beenpressed inwardly they will be elevated to vertical position, which isthe intended position to be occupied by the cover flaps at the moment ofentering the tunnel 53, which performs the closing operations.

The tunnel, as shown, is in the form of a hinged casting whose innerconfiguration is illustrated in the cross sectional views from 8 to 25inclusive, and mounted on each side upon lugs 54, 55, 56, so that itstands above the bed plate of the table and has its inner side wallsurfaces in substantial register with parallel spaced side guide bars 51which constitute continuations of the guide bars 50 and extend from endto end of the machine in properly spaced relation to embrace the sidesof the cartons and maintain them in processional relation throughout theperiod of their advance through the machine.-

The lugs 54, 55, 56, on each side, are provided with tongues 58 whichcooperate with bifurcated lugs 59 on the tunnel wall in affording aconnection on each side, and in order to readily swing the tunnelupwardly without bodily removing it, removable pintles 60 are providedon one side (Figs. 2 and 26) which coact with similarly positioned fixedpintles 6| on the other side, so that, after the withdrawal of theremovable pintles, the tunnel can be swung back on the hingedconnection. thus afforded to expose the interior. The tunnel is.throated at its entering end 62, which at this point and for a shortdistance therefrom has its top wall or roof 63 of substantially conicaluninterrupted formation with inwardly converging side walls 64, whichtend to bring the upstanding cover fiaps into vertical relation and asthe cartons advance to causethe tucking flaps 44 to bend or fold alongthe score lines 45, as indicated in Fig. 6.

Beginning with the section line 8 and running through to the sectionline 22, in Fig. 4, the roof of the tunnel is divided by a dependingwedge shaped center rib 65 whose lower inverted ridge 66 stands atsubstantially the same horizontal level throughout; although the depthof the cen-- section line 22 it presents merely the configuration of adepending blade of substantially the thickness ofthe ridge edge 66. Theprovision of the wedge rib thus divides the 'tunnel throughout abouttwo-thirds of its extent into two parallel channels, each having aprogressively varying cross sectional configuration computed withreference to the requirements of the operation involved in progressivelybending inwardly the cover flaps 43 and guiding the tucking flaps 44inwardly and downwardly into the center channel provided for theirreception in the body of the cartons adjacent the longitudinal partition40 thereof.

By observing the sectional views 8-25, it will be noted that throughoutthe tunnel the base portion 6! of each of the side walls remainssubstantially uniform for a distance-and then narrows slightly to permitthe passage of the upper portion of the carton body. The base portion 61merges into an upper wall section 68 of progressively inwardlyconverging configuration on its inner or guiding surface, which it willbe noted progressively inclines from substantialy verticality in Fig. 8more and more toward the horizontal until the section line I 8 isreached, at which point the wall surface 68 is divided by aprogressively depending channel 69 which divides the wallsur-,

face 68 into outer and inner sections .68 and 68 presenting the sameplane and being separated by the channel 69 to reduce the frictionimparted to the progressively lowering cover flaps.

The wall sections 68*, throughout the major extent of the tunnel fromsection lines 8 to H, merge into an outer roof wall 10 whichlles at aprogressively increasing angle to the side wall 68 and combines with thecontiguous wall of the center wedge rib 65 in aifording the roof of eachof the tunnel sections. The wall sections 10 on opposite sides of thetunnel are slightly varied in configuration for the purpose of impartingthe necessary bending and guiding movements to the right hand cover flapand tucking flap in somewhat accelerated ratio to the correspondingmovements imparted to the left hand cover fiap, for the purpose ofcausing the right hand flap to reach the final folding and tuckingposition somewhat in advance of its companion, and for this purpose the.changes in angularity between the side and top walls on the right handside are somewhatmore accentuated than on the left hand side. Thus itwill be noted that the top wall 10 in Fig. 12 has already been loweredto a sufiicient degree to make an acute angle with the adjacent sidewall 68 on. the right,

hand side of the figure, while the relation of the corresponding partson the left of the figure affords an obtuse angle. It will also be notedthat while the width 'of the sidewalls 68 and the top walls Ill remainssubstantially constantthroughout, in order to subtend the area presentedby 'the cover flaps and tucking flapsrespectively, and

to initiate and progressively increase the bend- I 10 has likewiseeliminated said angle with the center wedge, and from that point on thewidth of the wall 10 progressively decreases to section 22, at whichpoint the center wedge terminates, so that thereafter the remnants ofthe wall 10 unite and at section 25 present an unbroken flat surface. Inother words, it will be noted in effect that from section line ll to theterminus of the center wedge the identity in structure between the top.wall 10 and the wedge itself becomes progressively merged into a singlestructure.

By observing Figs. 17 and 19, it will be noted that'the right handtucking flap precedes the left hand tucking flap in entering the spaceafforded in the center of the carton for the reception of the flaps,with the result that the right hand flap will afiord a sliding surfacefor the left hand flap, thus tending to guide the latter evenly anduniformly into the space provided therefor. By observing section 22, itwill be seen that the two iiaps have been pressed downwardly to auniform relation, and at this point the division aiforded by the wedgerib is no longer required, and the remainder of the operation merelynecessitates the application of uniform pressure from above upon both ofthe flaps in unison, which occurs throughout the sections 23 to 25. r

It will also be noted that the spacing of the lower or base'side of thewalls 61 remains constant through sections 8 to l2, and is thereafterreduced slightly through sections 13 and [4, with a further reductionthrough sections iii to 20, after which the spacing remains constantthroughout. This has the efiect of permitting the carton throughout thefirst portion of its journey to move with considerable freedom throughthe tunnel and without undue confinement of the side walls, which isdesirable in the initial stages of bending the cover and tucking flapsalong their score lines, but as the middle region of the tunnel isreached the side walls begin to converge slightly, so that during thefinal tucking operations, and particularly during the down pressingoperations performed after the carton has reached the position indicatedin Fig. 22, the sides of the carton body will be closely confinedagainst spreading while the necessary force is applied along the centerline to effect the final stage of insertion of the tucking flaps. In-

this position, therefore, the outer remnants of the wall surfaces I58will lie in the same plane with the surfaces 10 in the center, whichbrings the two cover flaps into a plane or flat closed relationacrossthe topof the carton.

In general it may be said that the configuration of the side walls androof portions of the tunnel is such as to eiTect a progressive bendingflaps will be rapidly bent to right angles and thereafter'to acuteangular relation with the cover flaps, so that the edges of the tuckingflaps, during an intermediate portion of the operation, will be broughtto a, distinctly acute angular relation to the cover flaps, in order topresent themselves toward the carton slot in substantially verticaledgewise relation and with one of the tucking flaps leading or inadvance of the other to facilitate the entering operation. This acuteangular relation of the parts occurs during the intermediate stage only,since the final operation serves to restore the cover flaps and tuckingflaps to right angle relation and with their surfaces throughout inregister with one another.

During the medial portion of the carton travel, the presence of thewedge shaped center rib'is required to separate the tucking flaps fromone another and direct them downwardly oneach side in unequal relation,but during the terminal portion of the operation, after the tuckingflaps have contacted one another as in Figs. 19 to 22, the separatingfunction of the wedge rib is no longer required, so that it terminatesat section 22, thereby allowing a slight further inward movement of thetucking flaps toward one another during the terminal stage of theoperation.

The present machine, in the form shown, makes provision for the datingof the carton cover flaps before the same are tucked inwardly andclosed, and also makes provision for the sealing of the carton afterclosure, and although the presence of the dating and sealing appliancesis not required in connection with the closing operations within thetunnel, a brief description of these features will now-be given.

Adjacent the throated entering end of the tunnel are located a pair ofstandards H, 12 which support an elevated bridge bar 13. The bridge baraffords a journal mounting for dating wheel shafts 14, each of which atits lower end carries a dating roll I5 which coacts with a serrated idleroll l6,the parts being so located as to cause the upstanding coverflaps to pass between the bite of the respective pairs of dating rolls.The shafts l4 carry bevel pinions l1 meshing withbeveled pinions 18 on adrive shaft 19 carried by journal standards mounted upon the bridge bar13. A sprocket wheel 8| on the shaft 19 is driven by a sprocket chain 82carried upon a driving sprocket 83 on a shaft 84 which is .drlven by asprocket chain 85 passing over a sprocket 86. The sprocket chain 85 isdriven from a suitable sprocket 81 .1

mounted upon a shaft 88, which latter shaft constitutes the drivingelement for the chain conveyor 38.

Each of the dating rolls I5 is provided on its interior with a slot orrecess 89 which receives a dating wheel or wheels 90 adapted to beadjusted toindicate the selected day and month and which when adjustedare held in clamped relation by a thumb screw 91. This arrangementpermits each of the cover flaps during its advance toward the tunnel toreceive a dating impression or other insignia.

At the delivery end of the tunnel is located a sealing mechanism 92which serves to feed a strip of gummed tape from a roll 93 and cut offsections thereof through the operations of a knife 94 and to moisten.the same and compress the sections thus severed across the top ofthecarton to seal the cover flaps, but in view of the fact that the sealingmechanism constitutes the subject matter of an independent patentapplication, Serial No. 84,152, filed June 8, 1936, it is not deemednecessary to describe this mechanism in detail. However, in order toconveniently perform the sealing operation, and to deliver the cartonsafter being filled and sealed, the endless feeding strips 38 areextended at the dischare end of the machine sufliciently to carry thecartons through the sealing mechanism and deliver the same at a suitabledistance therefrom.

so, and thus delivered advance to the right until 5 the cross partitionsare engaged by the lugs'or I teeth upon the chain conveyor, which thusaifords a positive feed for carrying the ca'rtonsthrough the tunnel andovercoming the friction occasioned by theprogressively convergentrelation 10 of the tunnel walls and roof, thus imparting the forcenecessary to bend in and turn .down the cover flaps and tucking fiaps inthe manner pre- 'viousLy described. The guide bars at the mouth of thetunnel serve to insure-the proper upstandl5 ing position for the coverflaps and to guide the cartons into the mouth of the tunnel, after whichthe configuration of the tunnel walls imparts the necessary bending andcompressive movements to close the carton. I

20 The configuration of the tunnel throughout is such as toprogressively direct the cover flaps and tucking flaps into the intendedlines of movement without sharp or abrupt transitions, which isimportant in view of the fact that the cartons 25 are of considerablelength and the forward ends of the flaps are at all times in a moreadvanced stage of the closing operation than the trailing or rear ends,so that the closing must beei'fected by movements which are unequallyapplied at any 3 particular instant to opposite ends of the flaps.- Thisnecessitates the provision of a tunnel of suflicient length to avoidwarping ortwisting strains which could not easily be accommodated 'bythe flexibility of the material, but with the relative dimensions shownin the accompanying drawings these difilculties are fully overcome, sothat a procession of cartons can be fed at a very rapid rate through themachine without any cramping. binding or displacement due to the pro- 40gressive actions occurring from end to end ofin the final stage of theclosing operation in order to firmly and closely force the closing flapsinto 50 place within the narrow center slot provided for theirretention. When thus closed the flaps will be tightlyheld by thefriction thus afl'orded, so that the final sealing is not in all casesnecessary to prevent the opening up of ,the cover flaps, 55 althoughdesirable to prevent accidental displacement and to insure propercertification of. the fact that the carton has not been opened after thefilling and dating operations. I

Although the invention has been described with 60 full detail, it is notthe intention to limit the claims to the exact construction andconfiguration shown, since modifications thereof may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the V invention. 65 I claim: 7

1. In a carton closing machine adapted to act upon cartons having sidewalls and an upstanding cover flap terminating in a marginal tucking ingend having its side and roof walls extending" 75 in substantially,vertical alignment to permit the cover flap and marginal tucking flap ofa carton to stand substantially vertically within the entering end ofthe tunnel, and said side and roof walls thereafter inclining inwardlyand inwardly and downwardly respectively by progressive stageslongitudinally of the tunnel in cause pro- I gres sive bending of theside flap with respect to the associated carton side wall and concurrentand progressive relative bending of the tucking flap with respect to thecover flap, and the tunnel 10 toward its discharging end presenting asubstantially horizontal wall surface portion adapted to bring the coverflap into substantially right angle relation to the side wall of thecarton body and to 'force the tucking flap vertically-into the interiorof the carton body. 2. In a carton closing machine adapted to act uponcartons having side body walls and companion upstanding cover flapshinged to the respective body-walls and terminating in marginal tuckingfia'ps hinged .to the respective cover flaps and adaptedwhen closedtohave the cover flaps lie in a uniform horizontal plane with the tuckingflaps depending vertically into the interior of the carton body, anelongated tunnel having side l and roof walls and having between theroof walls through a portion of its length a depending rib dividing thetunnel into two channels, the tunnel within its entering end having theside and roof walls extending substantially vertically to permit entryof the upstanding cover and tucking flap portions of the unclosedcartons, and said side and roof walls of each channel inclining inwardlyand inwardly and downwardly respectively by progressive degreeslongitudinally of the tunnel to cause progressive folding of the coverflaps with respect to the side body walls of the carton and to causeconcurrent and progressive folding of the tucking flaps with respect tothe cover flaps, the rib terminating short of the discharging end-of othe tunnel, and the said walls of the tunnel ultimately presentingacting surfaces in a horizontal plane adapted to compress the coverfi'apsinto uniform horizontal relation to one another and to force thetucking flaps into the interior of the carton body.

3. In a carton closing machine adapted to 'act upon cartons having bodywalls and companion cover flaps hinged to and upstanding therefrom andterminating each in a hinged marginal tuck- 5o ing flap, the cover flapsadapted when closed to lie in a uniform horizontal plane with thetucking flaps depending vertically into the interior of the carton body,a tunnel having side and roof walls and feeding means for carrying thecartons through the tunnel, the tunnel within its entering end havingits walls spaced sufliciently and being throated to receive the coverflaps and marginaltucking flaps standing substantially ,vertically, thetunnel being divided throughout a portion of its length into twochannels, each having lower and upper side walls and a roof wall, theupper and lower portions of the side walls of the respective channelsbeing configured to extend with relation to one another at anglesprogressively ap preaching a right angle, and the upper side walls androof walls progressively subtending angles ,of lesser degree andconfigured to concurrently bendthe tucking flaps through varying angularrelationships to the cover flaps and into acute angular relationshipthereto, and the interior of the tunnel toward its discharging endpresenting itsacting surfaces in substantially horizontal relation toone another and in position to cause the cover fiaps to lie horizontallyacross the carton 2,091,426 body and to force the tucking flaps inwardlyinto the interior of the carton body.

4. In a carton closing machine adapted to act upon cartons having sidewalls and companion upstanding cover flapshinged rmpectively thereto andterminating each in amarginal tucking flap hinged to the associatedcover flap, the carton being adapted when closed to have the cover flapslie in a uniform horizontal plane with the tucking flaps dependingvertically into the interior of the carton body, a' tunnel having sideand roof walls and feeding means for carrying the cartons through thetunnel, the tunnel within its entering endv having its walls spacedsufiiciently to receive the cover flaps and marginal flaps standingvertically, and the tunnel being provided throughout a portion of itslength with a central longitudinal rib dividing the tunnel into twochannels, each channel having a side wall consisting of upper and lowerportions, a roof wall and a rib wall, the upper and lower portions ofthe side walls of the respective channels standing initially insubstantially vertical relation to one another, and progressivelythereafter subtending decreasing angles ultimately approachingsubstantially right angle relationship to cause the cover flaps to swinginwardly at progressively more abrupt angles to the side walls of thecarton throughout a range of movement of substantially 90, and the anglesubtended between the roof wall and the upper sidewalls of each channelbeing progressively decreased and ultimately assuming an acute angularrelationship to cause the tucking flaps to concurrently assume aprogressively increasing hinging movement with respect to the coverflaps, thetunnel toward its discharging end presenting acting surfacesprogressively approaching plane horizontal relationship to onea'notherfor ultimately bringing the cover flaps into horizons! 40 closingrelation with the tucking flaps entering vertically into the cartonbody.

5. In a carton clomng machine adapted toact upon cartons having sidewalls and companion upstanding cover flaps hinged respectively theretoand terminating each in a marginal tucking flap hinged to the associatedcover flap, the carton being adapted when closed to have the cover flapslie in a uniform horizontal plane with the tucking flaps dependingvertically into the interior oi the carton body, a tunnel having sideand roof walls and feeding means for carrying the cartons through thetunnel, the tunnel at its entering end having its walls spaced'sumciently to receive the cover flaps and marginal flaps standingvertically, and. the tunnel being provided throughout a portion of itslength with a central longitudinal ribdividing the tunnel into twochannels, each channel having a side wall consisting of upper and lowerportions, a roof wall and a rib wall, the upper and lower portions ofthe side walls of the respective channels standing initially insubstantially vertical plane relation to one another, and progressivelythereafter subtending decreasing angles ultimately approachingsubstantially right angle relationship to cause the cover flaps to swinginwardly at progressively more abrupt angles to the side walls of thecarton throughout a range of movement of substantially and the anglesubtended between the root wall and the upper side walls of each channelbeing progressively decreased and ultimately assuming an acute angularrelationship to cause the tucking flaps to assume a progressivelyincreasing hinging movement with respect to the cover flaps, the tunneltoward its discharging end presenting acting surfaces progressivelyapproaching plane horizontal relationship to one another for ultimately'bringing the cover flaps into horizontal closing relation with thetucking flaps entering .vertically into the carton body, the angulartransition of one of the channels being at an increased ratio ascompa'red to the angular transition of the other channel to cause one ofthe tucking flaps to advance into the interior of the carton body inadvance of the other. 7

a LEON BENOIT.

